New Releases: January 22, 2013
posted in: Features • Pop • Rock
With the return of hipster favorites Ra Ra Riot, Toro y Moi, and The Joy Formidable, this is an especially fertile week for indie rock releases. Also on the menu are new offerings from classic punk stalwarts Bad Religion and OurStage’s own rising star Tyler Bryant.
Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown “ Wild Child
We’ve been fans of Tyler Bryant’s barn-burning blues guitar skills for years, and now, with the release of Wild Child, Bryant and his band are poised to take the national scene by storm. Their new album has enough plaintive slide guitar, ripping solos, boot stomping and gang vocals to last you a lifetime. Or at least until their next release comes out.
By the way, the single “Say A Prayer” is currently iTunes’ Free Single Of The Week.
Ra Ra Riot “ Beta Love
Ra Ra Riot are back with an album of danceable minimalist synth pop that also manages to incorporate more organic sounds from swelling string arrangements. Strong echoes of David Byrne are still recognizable in frontman Wes Miles‘ voice, but he generally sounds much more self-assured and in reach of a true personal vocal style this time around.
The Joy Formidable “ Wolf’s Law
The Welsh indie rockers have come out with a ferocious release that employs the trio’s full and unencumbered strengths: the acrobatic vocals and fierce guitar work of singer-guitarist Ritzy Bryan, pulsating bass lines from Rhydian Dafydd and Matt Thomas‘ energetic drum patterns. There are some tender moments as well, but the band shows they haven’t forgotten how to rock.
Tory y Moi “ Anything in Return
After escaping the inevitable wipeout that followed the chillwave trend of the late 2000s, Chaz Bundick has continued to release intricately layered albums of fat synths and glitchy beats. This time around, on Anything in Return, he ventures further into pop territory and places his increasingly confident vocals at center stage.
Bad Religion “ True North
Bad Religion have truly stood the test of time, releasing albums that never quite abandon their original punk ferocity while incorporating nuanced political and social commentary that rarely feels heavy-handed. This time they take on corporate greed, electoral mud-slinging, and every social ill in their path.
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